Leadership Report: Analysis of Facebook's Leadership Styles

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership at Facebook, examining various aspects of its organizational structure and management strategies. The report begins with an introduction outlining the significance of leadership in the modern business world, followed by an examination of leadership theory, specifically system leadership theory, and its application to statements made by Facebook's leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg and Mark Cuban. The main body delves into leadership models, styles, and approaches prevalent in today's corporate environment, with a focus on transformational, servant, and participative leadership styles, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the report assesses the impact of leadership on Facebook's organizational culture and diversity management initiatives, highlighting how leadership styles influence employee behavior, decision-making processes, and the promotion of a diverse and inclusive workplace. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and emphasizing the importance of effective leadership in driving organizational success, employee motivation, and the achievement of both individual and company objectives. The report also references the impact of value-based leadership approach in the Covod-19 Pandemic situation.

Leadership Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Drawing on leadership theory, critical evaluation of statements of business leaders..................1
Leadership models, styles and approaches which could be seen in today's corporate world......2
Impact on organisational culture and diversity management......................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
In competitive world, a leader plays significant role of motivating people for higher
performance level with their powerful human relations. Leadership is an ongoing activity in
which a leader uses adequate styles to guide, influence and monitor employees for ensuring that
all their efforts and contribution are going in same direction as well as they are not deviating
from goals. For the leadership report, selected organisation is Facebook which is an American
technology conglomerate established by Mark Zuckerberg in Menlo Park, California. It builds
technologies which provide users power to connect with family together with friends, finding
communities along with growing businesses (Facebook, 2021).
The report covers evaluation of statements from business leaders by drawing on
leadership theory. Further, these are applied to various leadership styles as well as approaches
which can be seen in present corporate world. Moreover, the report also assess impact of
leadership on organisational culture and diverse management policies.
MAIN BODY
Drawing on leadership theory, critical evaluation of statements of business leaders
Leadership theory is a belief that initiate understanding about what leadership is all about.
In other words, it is a thought which attempts explanation about what makes a person an
effective leader (Hallinger, 2018). One of leadership theory is System leadership theory that is
propounded by Katz and Kahn that defines leadership as influential increment on mechanical
compliance with routine directives of business. Key elements that are part of system leadership
theory includes System, Community and Individual. It combines coalition building, collaborative
leadership as well as systems insight for mobilising innovation addition to action across
decentralise and large network. On the drawing of the leadership theory, evaluation of statements
of popular business leaders are as follows:
“I’m very proud about how our teams around the world have pulled together to support
people-getting accurate information, fighting misinformation, supporting small business and
their recovery- making sure that important social and communication services that people rely
on to keep in touch with the people they love, stay stable and running.” – Mark Zuckerberg,
CEO of Facebook
1

From the above statement that is said by Mark Zuckerberg who is Chief Executive
Officer of Facebook, it could be said that leadership is all about pulling the team together and
encourages staff for delivering best. The leader tends to work in a manner by which they serve as
role model for others. In accordance to system leadership theory, it is evaluated that a leader
combines system insights, collaborative leadership and coalition building for supporting the
organisational people that shares accurate information, fights misinformation and support others
to remain in touch with general consumer. It have been evaluated that a leader encourage
essential social addition to communication services which internal and external people depends
on so to remain in touch with those they love and run practices.
“The CEO is no more important than somebody cleaning the floors or that takes a bucket and
mops the floors. I think that this is a time as a reset where we really have to re-evaluate how
we treat workers, how people are paid, how we can get them into a role where they receive an
equity as part of their compensation. So when they’re not having to live paycheck to paycheck,
they have something to appreciate. All these things I think are important as we go through this
reset in business.” Mark Cuban, CEO of Dallas Mavericks
As per above statement given by Mark Cuban who is Chief Executive Officer of Dallas
Mavericks, it can be evaluated that no leader is significant than an individual cleaning the floor
or takes a bucket along with mobs a floor. Leader treats equally to all people that are under them
without putting any pressure on their subordinates. In tough or adverse situation, results of leader
and leadership are analysed on the basis on which they treat employees,involving them in a role
wherein they gains an equity as element of their compensation and the ways they paid to people.
With drawing of system leadership theory, it can be evaluated that the leader is one who
appreciates workings of employees in all kinds of pertaining situations while going through
resetting business.
Leadership models, styles and approaches which could be seen in today's corporate world
The evaluation of leadership is carried out through throwing light on certain leadership
models, styles as well as approaches. Leadership model involves theories on the ways to lead
people effectively. It shows example about how to lead (Rudolph, Rauvola and Zacher, 2018).
Facebook is a large organisation in which leader assist in setting strategic objectives for the
entity while influencing people in group with the hope of successfully carrying out allotted tasks
2

in services to the goals. Leadership model includes variants of leadership styles that are used by
leader in particular situation. One of leadership model that leader of Facebook apply is
Situational leadership model which is repeatable and timeless framework for leaders to match
their behaviours with requirements of performance of employees which are attempting for
influence. For example, Covid-19 Pandemic is as situation of unleashing a new era of change of
business. Leadership style is said to method adopted by a leader to provide directions, executing
plans addition to motivation people. To manage working of members of whole team of
Facebook, leaders have adopted effective styles as per pertaining situation. Some of leadership
styles and approaches used in Covid-19 Pandemic situation or in today's corporate world by
leader of Facebook are evaluated underneath:
Transformational leadership style: A leader using transformational style works for
changing as well as transforming needs of followers addition to redirects its thinking. A leader
who utilises the style tends to work as role models for team members and seek to influence them
through their behaviours (Crosby and Bryson, 2018). The style includes four factors that are
intellectual simulation, individual consideration, idealised influence and inspirational motivation.
In the situation of Covid-19 pandemic, leaders of Facebook have adopted the style with the aim
of helping employees to go beyond daily working and emphasis towards creating solid team
through promoting team building. In the entity, transformational leaders motivates employees by
devising goals, executing incentives together with providing opportunities associated to personal
and professional development.
Servant leadership style: The leadership style is coined by Ken Blanchard along with
Paul Hersey. In this, leaders puts services for others in team prior their own interest together with
includes each member of team in making decisions (Yunarsih and Rahayu, 2020). Main
objective of servant leader is to serve. It is said to the method of leader to match their conduct of
practice as per requirements of people that are operating to influence. In context to Facebook,
servant leadership theory is preferred in situation of Covid-19 Pandemic wherein they have
relinquishes various of their authority to improve motivation of people at core. A servant leader
have active listening, observing and accordingly cues for understanding manpower with their
needs in pandemic situation. Moreover, they enables persuading employees to reach the
potentials.
3

Participative leadership style: Herein, input of team is taken into consideration while
framing decision making process for organisation (Wenner and Campbell, 2017). An individual
opting the leadership style tends to perform best and makes sense to consider gathering of all
together for the purpose of strategy meetings. It is kind of leadership wherein all members of
company work together for devising organisational decisions. Participative leader encourages all
employees to participate. Furthermore, it is acknowledged that manpower are among essential
stakeholder group of organisation which deserves access for utilising their rights, powers and
voices. In situation of Covid-19 pandemic, leaders of Facebook have made effective use of
participative leadership style by giving chance to employees for getting empower through
involving in decision making so to serve customers with care. They makes people that are under
them more valuable and leaves effective mark which assist subordinates to grow even when they
are nor present. They also fosters creative solutions by encouraging staff to share their opinions
in pertaining situation so that working are managed properly to reach objectives.
Value based leadership: It is an approach of leadership wherein leaders draw on their
self together with follower's values for motivation addition to direction (Willis, Clarke and
O'Connor, 2017). In an organisation, value based leadership approach asserts that individual
should be motivated or influenced for performances through values and live as per their belief.
Values are significant motivators and the style helps them to make sense to connect with values
of team members so to make them likely to work. In association to Facebook, leader opted value
based leadership approach in the Covod-19 Pandemic situation to provide guidance to all
employees in the manner to encourage them for functioning in accordance to their values. Value
based leaders have long lasting impact on people as they makes their presence felt and others
feeling much better.
Impact on organisational culture and diversity management
Organisational culture could be delineated to underlying beliefs, values as well as ways to
interact in the manner that contributes towards unique psychological and social environment of
entity. It involves experiences, values, philosophies along with expectations of business concern
which directs member behaviour and improves image of enterprise. For example, Facebook
develops its employees with hacker culture. Through this, the entity maintains competitiveness
which influence behaviour of all people that work in it. It translates to the aspect staff members
solves problems and promote creativity together with creativity (Lombardo, 2018). The entity
4

keeps adapting its cultural features for continuing effectiveness to address challenges associates
with pertaining market dynamics.
Within hacker culture, leaders of Facebook uses situational leadership theory for pushing
employee towards improvements. They apply leadership style to support resilience addition to
competitiveness of organisation that impacts positively on culture of Facebook as situational
leadership model fosters positive relations among employees and self. Moreover, leadership
styles and approaches values creative decision making and problem solving. Servant and
transformational leaders impacts tremendously on business culture as they devise tone for the
ways employee perceives experience of work for shaping and upholding culture (Comey, 2018).
Diversity management is an organisational action whose objective is to promote wider
inclusion of people at workplace from different background in structure of business by using
specific programs and policies. All organisations are looking for cultivating more diverse
addition to inclusive workplace, for this, leaders are playing key role for developing strategic
plan which exemplifies philosophies of entity on diversity. To manage workplace diversity,
leadership together with higher management are responsible to create and maintain a foundation
on which diverse workplace is based upon. Within Facebook, leadership combines various
cultures, ideas together with experiences to enhance workplace environment that impact
positively on driving diversity. As per views of Goleman (2017), it is evaluated that application
of leadership styles and approaches in the situation of Covid-10 Pandemic have impacts
positively on an organisation. For example, leadership in facebook have fostered interactions
among people belonging to different cultures and experiences. They have encourages
participation of each manpower in decision making and unlocked barriers of communication. In
a business concern, leader respects diversity among employees and generates sense of
empowerment as well as trust within staff members. Because of this, employees performs at their
best for achieving personal and organisational objectives within defined period of time.
Moreover, leaders welcome innovative ideas that effectively stimulates performances for targets
that results in favourable impacts on diversity management policies set by company.
CONCLUSION
From the leadership report, it can be concluded that leader motivates, encourages and
inspires a team to solicit best performances. Organisational leaders are responsible for keeping
team members informed, providing prompt feedbacks about work performance, hold employee
5

accountability and meet all requirements of employees along with organisation. System
leadership theory is one of theory that leaders opts for managing pertaining situations.
Transformational leadership style, Servant leadership style, Participative leadership style and
Value based leadership are certain approaches as well as styles opted by a leader in today's
competitive era.
6

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Comey, J., 2018. A higher loyalty: Truth, lies, and leadership. Pan Macmillan.
Crosby, B. C. and Bryson, J. M., 2018. Why leadership of public leadership research matters:
and what to do about it. Public Management Review. 20(9). pp.1265-1286.
Goleman, D., 2017. Leadership that gets results (Harvard business review classics). Harvard
Business Press.
Hallinger, P., 2018. Bringing context out of the shadows of leadership. Educational management
administration & leadership. 46(1). pp.5-24.
Rudolph, C. W., Rauvola, R. S. and Zacher, H., 2018. Leadership and generations at work: A
critical review. The Leadership Quarterly. 29(1). pp.44-57.
Wenner, J. A. and Campbell, T., 2017. The theoretical and empirical basis of teacher leadership:
A review of the literature. Review of educational research. 87(1). pp.134-171.
Willis, S., Clarke, S. and O'Connor, E., 2017. Contextualizing leadership: Transformational
leadership and Management‐By‐Exception‐Active in safety‐critical contexts. Journal of
Occupational and Organizational Psychology. 90(3). pp.281-305.
Yunarsih, N. and Rahayu, S., 2020. Develop Leadership Style Model for Nurse in Indonesian
Hospital. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy. 11(8). pp.352-361.
Online:
Facebook. 2021. [Online]. Available through: <https://about.fb.com/>
Lombardo. J., 2018. Facebook Inc.’s Organizational Culture. [Online]. Available through:
<http://panmore.com/facebook-inc-organizational-culture-characteristics-analysis>
7